


Christening

by RosyClovesy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, F/M, Fluff, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:49:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23648743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosyClovesy/pseuds/RosyClovesy
Summary: Unfortunately, Severus Snape never showed much interest in finding out the names of the Potter's children before he attended their christenings.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Severus Snape
Comments: 24
Kudos: 173





	Christening

**Author's Note:**

> Everything recognisable belongs to JKR

“And what is Potter going to name his spawn this time? You never said,” Severus pointed out as he clasped the top of his dress robes. He watched his wife’s reflection in the mirror as she sidled up beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist, using the other to smooth out the lines of the pockets of his robes.

“I didn’t think you’d be interested,” Hermione replied, now evaluating her own appearance. Her hair was reasonably well tamed and fell in soft waves against her shoulders, aided by a potion Severus had developed for her -- something easier to use than Sleekezy’s. It would never be glossy and straight, but the potion had certainly made it more manageable.

“I’m not,” he insisted, somewhat unconvincingly.

“Well, you’ll have to wait to find out now,” she grinned up at him and grasped his shoulder for balance as she leaned up to give him a kiss on his cheek.

He gave her a side glance as he smoothed out the crease she had created on the robes. “Please don’t tell me it’s something noble and ridiculous like Godric.”

Hermione smirked. “You’ll see.”

When they felt they had fussed over their appearance enough, they apparrated to the outskirts of the small village in Scotland where the ceremony was being held. As they wound their way up a gravel path towards the church, Hermione pulled her cloak closer around her. Though the sun was shining, there was still a bite to the air, though once they passed through the lychgate into the churchyard, the temperature rose considerably. 

“Fancy having it all the way up here,” remarked Severus as they approached a marquee. “It’s a long way from Cornwall.”

“Minerva arranged it for them,” answered Hermione. “One of her nephews.” She pointed out a middle-aged wizard who was wearing a priest’s collar and dress robes who was speaking to Mrs. Weasley.

“Hm,” replied Severus, his eyes scanning the crowd in the tent. 

Hermione was pleased to see so many familiar faces, most of them fellow alumni from Hogwarts. They greeted her with enthusiasm, but Severus less so. Though their marriage and partnership was common knowledge in the wizarding world now, it still must have been a shock to see their classmate with the most hated teacher from their schooldays. Severus noticed the looks and immediately crossed to where Hagrid and Mr. Weasley were speaking. Hermione couldn’t help but chuckle when Hagrid clapped Severus on the back and nearly sent him toppling over.

Hermione moved to the nearest pairing of people she recognised: Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. “How are you, Hermione?” Neville asked, looking a bit relieved at her approach. “What have you been up to?”

“Well, thanks,” she said. “I’ve been doing some really interesting research lately on Polyjuice Potion. We’re trying to adapt it for children so that when they’re playing… I don’t know, let’s say they’re pretending to be certain animals. They can drink it, and the potion will allow them to take on characteristics of that animal. So if they wanted to play at being an elephant, they would temporarily grow a trunk for a nose…” she trailed off, noticing that Neville’s eyes had glazed over. He was nodding, but not really listening. Luna looked interested, though.

“Or they could grow the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack,” Luna finished for her.

“Exactly,” Hermione agreed, though she changed the subject quickly to avoid the conversation leading to the one she destroyed at Luna’s childhood home. “How are you finding Hogwarts, Neville?”

“Oh, good! It’s really good. It’s weird being at the head table -- and taking house points,” he grinned. “But it’s nice to see a different side to the professors. I never realised how much they got up to while we were there!”

Hermione was about to divulge a few things Severus had told her about staff parties, but the church bell started ringing, signalling the service was about to begin. She waved Luna and Neville off and waited for Severus to join her.

“All well?” she asked him, but he shook his head.

“No one else seems to know what the child will be named, either,” he informed her. “Well -- I suspect Hagrid does, but he began to cry every time he tried to say it.”

Hermione couldn’t hide her smirk, and when he began pestering her to reveal the newest Potter’s name, shushed him as they took a pew halfway up the aisle. 

When Albus Severus Potter was finally announced in the service, she felt Severus stiffen beside her. She unclasped her hands and reached out to find his. He grasped it gently in his own, a rare sign of public affection from him.

“Yes,” confirmed Harry to the vicar. “After two of the bravest men I’ve ever known.” His voice was loud enough for the entire assembly to hear.

In her periphery, Hermione could see a number of faces turn to look at the pair of them, and Severus squeezed her hand lightly. She glanced up at her husband but he remained staring straight ahead, watching as the child was marked by the vicar. His face was impassive.

When the service ended, the couple squeezed through the throng of people exiting, moving just a bit too quickly for anyone to stop them or speak to them. They made their way to the marquee once more. House elves were now carrying around trays of canapes and various beverages. Severus grabbed them glasses of wine and they watched the crowd fill the tent around them. He hadn’t spoken since the service concluded.

Hermione watched Molly Weasley and Ginny as they entertained little James Potter. He zoomed around on a miniature broom, weaving his way around the legs of the women as they chatted. Severus seemed to be inspecting the grass they were standing on in great detail.

Harry approached the pair, holding newly christened Albus Severus.

Hermione held her breath as Severus lifted his gaze. Harry had asked her if Severus would be bothered by their choice in name, and she replied honestly: she didn’t know. She knew him -- he was her husband after all, but after a number of years together, she was still surprised by the things he brushed off and the things that irritated him to no end. The only things she could one hundred percent predict were his order for an Indian takeaway (lamb pathia with mushroom rice and a peshwari naan) and that he would complete the crossword puzzle in the Daily Prophet before he bothered to read the headline. 

Severus eyed Harry cautiously and then held out his hand toward him.

Although they had spent the last ten years in one another’s company, after his initial reappearance, she had never seen such an outright gesture of goodwill from Severus -- even at their wedding. Harry broke into a grin and took his hand, giving it a firm shake. Hermione released her breath, breaking into a smile herself.

Severus leaned forward to look at Albus Severus. Green eyes met black and the baby gurgled in response, waving his arms in excitement. “I hope he has an easier time of it than I did,” he remarked.

“Draco and Astoria have a little one now, too,” added Hermione, nodding at Severus.

“Indeed,” he confirmed. 

Hermione counted off on her fingers and smiled. “They’ll be at Hogwarts together.”

“Oh joy,” said Harry, jiggling Albus in his arms. The baby laughed at the movement. Severus smirked.

“Oh, don’t,” Hermione began, shaking her head at Harry. “Astoria is lovely, and little Scorpius --”

“Scorpius--?! Scorpius!” Ron nearly spat out his food as he stepped into their conversation. Severus took a large step away from him. “What in the bloody hell --”

“Scorpius is a lovely baby,” finished Hermione, glaring at Ron. “We have them around for tea at least once a month.” They had been forced to move from their little house in Cokeworth when the council sold the area for modern development, and the Malfoys had helped them scout out a lovely cottage in Warwickshire, not very far from Stratford-upon-Avon. It afforded them much more room, and they even had the space to recreate the grove of potions ingredients that Severus had tended at Hogwarts.

Ron’s ears went red, probably from the memory of their one (and only) dinner party where he had been invited. Wands had been drawn, and though nearly five years had passed since the occasion, she still had trouble looking Ron’s wife, Trinity, in the eyes.

“Maybe it’ll be just like us,” smiled Harry. “Adventures -- fun --”

“And thousands of points deducted from Gryffindor,” added Snape, taking a sip of wine.

“Are you two going to add to the bunch? You might be able to squeeze one in to join them,” Ron gestured to Harry and Albus with his thumb.

Hermione blushed as furiously as she always did when the subject turned to this. She was surprised he had even made the remark -- it had taken him years to accept that she and Severus were together.

“Our child is arriving later this year,” interjected Severus with a straight face. “And it will certainly join them at Hogwarts. I’ve been assured our texts are mandatory for the new potions curriculum.”

“Besides, you appear to be doing that for us,” Hermione remarked as Trinity appeared, holding her rounded stomach. “I didn’t know you were expecting -- sorry.”

Ron’s ears had gone red. “Yeah, sorry -- forgot to mention it.”

Trinity slapped him playfully. “I think he’s denying it’s happening. It means too much time away from the Pitch for him.”

Hermione nodded. Trinity had been playing for Puddlemere United when she was introduced to Ron by Ginny, and he had gone on to enjoy free Quidditch games as a perk of their relationship.

“When are you due?” Hermione asked.

“I’ve got twenty-one more weeks to go, but it feels like I’ve been pregnant for a lifetime already. Oh, sausage rolls!” Trinity dragged Ron off in the direction of a house elf carrying her desired snack and she and Severus were left alone with Harry once more.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Harry said to Severus, drawing attention to his child once more.

“No, I don’t mind,” Severus replied, though the tone of his voice implied that he very much did not want to discuss the subject any further.

“Hermione said --” Harry began, but his attention was drawn away by his wife’s voice.

“Harry!” Ginny called, waving at him. It appeared that there was about to be some sort of cake cutting ceremony and they wanted to have a picture of Albus with it beforehand.

“Oh, the wife summons. Gotta go. Thanks again for coming!” Harry said, as he bounced Albus once more in farewell and left.

“Just for the record, I didn’t say anything,” Hermione said to Severus, though he nodded absently and didn’t seem to hear her.

“Shall we take our leave?” he asked, placing his wineglass down on the tray a nearby house elf was holding.

Hermione nodded and they made their goodbye rounds. It didn’t take long. Everyone else was more interested in the cake that was being served.

“What did we get them as a gift?” he asked as they walked to the safe apparition point.

She linked her arm loosely through his as they strolled. “A stuffed hippogriff,” she replied. “It actually flies.”

“Hm.”

She raised her eyebrow at him. “Would you like to choose the gift next time?”

“A stuffed snake would have been more suitable. Or a silver and green scarf.” He glanced at her slyly to see her reaction.

Hermione gaped at him. “Surely not… The Weasley-Potters are Gryffindors, through and through.”

Severus smirked, confident in his prediction, and patted his wife’s hand lightly. “You’ll see.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading.
> 
> I originally wrote this as a sort-of epilogue to my other story, Catch the Wind, though it's easily read own its own. It was written as a big thank you to my friend who encouraged me through the writing of that story, and, as she is a massive Cursed Child fan, I had to include the future generation somehow. Her first question when she finished the story was "So, where do Albus Severus and Scorpius fit in?"
> 
> As always, if you find any mistakes, I am very happy to correct them =)


End file.
